Theatre Oxford brings 2026 Ten-Minute Play Festival to The Powerhouse Feb. 20–21

Theatre Oxford and the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council will stage the 2026 Annual Ten-Minute Play Festival at the Powerhouse with performances Friday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., according to Theatre Oxford’s event listing. The run will spotlight short plays chosen through the company’s international 10-minute play competition.

Theatre Oxford describes the lineup succinctly as "Featuring the winner of the 10-Minute Play Contest and other finalists." The Powerhouse, the community arts venue hosting the festival, is listed at 413 S. 14th St. in area calendar material and is noted in local listings as accessible to patrons.

The festival is presented as a long-running local institution. Theatre Oxford markets the event as "a community favorite since 1999 showcasing new works chosen from our international 10-Minute Play Competition." For Lafayette County, the weekend offers residents a concentrated sampling of new short plays and a showcase for visiting and local playwrights and actors, boosting box office traffic for downtown businesses and sustaining the volunteer and professional workforce that supports live theatre in Oxford.

Recent history helps frame the scope of the contest feeding this festival. OxfordEagle coverage of the 2025 festival reported that Theatre Oxford received 240 submissions from seven countries and 36 states. That coverage also identified 2025 winners and finalists by name, including "95 Tiles" by Bethany Teames, "The Southerner" by Jenna Worsham and third-place "Supergirls" by Kathryn Ryan. Those details illustrate the competition’s reach and the level of new work the festival programs.

Past festivals have included educational and engagement programming. OxfordEagle noted in 2025 that "There will be a Q&A with the winning playwrights and playwright Desta Wondirad at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Powerhouse." The same article listed playwright workshops with exact descriptions: "Character Research for the 10-Minute Play" by playwright Wondirad, offered in person and by Zoom, and "Sketch Writing" by actor/playwright Connor King, described as virtual only. Those elements broaden the festival’s civic impact by creating opportunities for local writers and students to learn craft and network with working playwrights.

Practical details remain subject to confirmation. OxfordEagle’s 2025 coverage published ticket prices and sale procedures for that year; Theatre Oxford’s 2026 listing features calls for "TICKETS" and "Reservations" but does not post prices in the material provided. Theatre Oxford’s social channels and an audition notice also indicate casting activity in January 2026; the theatre’s audition page and box office can confirm final schedules, ticketing, and any planned workshops or Q&A sessions for the Feb. 20–21 weekend.

For Lafayette County readers, the festival is both an accessible evening out and a measurable piece of Oxford’s cultural economy. Check Theatre Oxford’s ticket and reservation pages or contact the Powerhouse box office to confirm pricing, workshop schedules, and any accessibility accommodations before attending.